Enphase completes acquisition of SunPower’s microinverter business

Enphase Energy and SunPower announced that Enphase has completed the previously announced acquisition of SunPower’s microinverter business for a total of $25 million in cash and 7.5 million shares of Enphase common stock. Key anticipated benefits and highlights of the acquisition include:

Advances AC Modules (ACM) as the future of residential solar

Enhances SunPower’s Equinox(TM) Home Solar System with a custom line of Enphase’s IQ microinverters for use with SunPower AC Modules

Adds over 140 patents to enhance Enphase’s strong IP portfolio

$15 million of cash purchase price funded from Enphase’s balance sheet at closing and $10 million of cash purchase price to be funded by 12/28/2018

“We are excited to close the acquisition of SunPower’s microinverter business ahead of plan,” said Badri Kothandaraman, president and CEO of Enphase Energy. “We now expect volume shipments of IQ 7XS microinverters in the fourth quarter of 2018 and an acceleration of the ramp throughout 2019. The business is on track to achieve its full revenue and gross margin potential. ACM is a significant component of our profitable top line growth strategy. We look forward to being a strong innovation partner for SunPower.”

IQ 7 is Enphase’s seventh-generation microinverter platform leading the industry with its software-defined architecture, broad regulatory compliance and advanced “Smart Grid” features. The IQ 7XS microinverter offers 97.5% CEC efficiency and was designed specifically for SunPower’s X Series 96-cell PV modules with peak AC output power of 320W and a Maximum Power Point (MPP) tracking range of 53-64V.

“We’re pleased to close on our strategic partnership with Enphase, which brings together leaders in residential installations and residential microinverters,” said SunPower Chairman and CEO Tom Werner. “We believe that AC modules are the future and this is an important step to accelerating global adoption, while helping to streamline and focus SunPower’s business priorities.”